Verulam

The paper emphasises the importance of the stress histories of cohesive soils, particularly in relation to the prediction of settlements of building structures. A method of recognising and assessing the overconsolidation icepressure from static cone penetration tests is introduced, together with cone factors related to overconsolidation pressures. S. Thorburn, C.L. Laird and W.M. Reid

Finniston Report: proposed Engineering Authority The Department of Industry in mid-January, contrary to expectations, circulated to the CEI and its constituent chartered engineering Institutions a revised draft Charter which, it was suggested, would bring into existence the proposed Engineering Authority. In response to informal comments on that draft, a second was circulated a week later. The Presidents of the 16 constituent Institutions, with the Chairman of the CEI, met together, and the following letter was sent to Sir Keith Joseph, Secretary of State for Industry, on 28 January: ‘We, the Corporation Presidents and the Chairman of the CEI, whose signatures are appended, feel once again bound to represent to you personally our disquiet at the manner in which discussions of the Royal Charter for the new Engineering Council have developed.

President’s diary The President and Mrs Horne look forward to meeting members of the Bedfordshire and Adjoining Counties Branch at their Annual Dinner in Bedford on Friday 6 March. Professor Horne will be visiting Belfast on Tuesday 10 March and will be responding to the toast to the Institution at the Branch Annual Dinner that evening.